SEDPI Foundation is the latest member of the SEDPI Group of Social Enterprises (SEDPI GSE). It was registered on January 4, 2013. The foundation is part of SEDPI GSE’s vision of establishing sustainable social enterprises for the economic empowerment of the poor. SEDPI Foundation will be a support organization for social enterprises and microfinance institutions that facilitates development programs for the poor.
The banner strategy of SEDPI Foundation is the establishment of an endowment fund for capacity building to empower the poor. The other members of SEDPI GSE will donate to this endowment fund annually. The foundation will also mobilize donations from different sectors of society.
What makes the SEDPI Endowment Fund different from others?
First, the endowment fund will solely be used for capacity building to empower the poor. This could be in the form of education scholarships for the children from very poor households; conduct of trainings to poor Overseas Filipinos and their families; and technical assistance to development organizations such as social enterprises and microfinance institutions. Second, unlike other endowment funds, 100% of the corpus or principal of the endowment will be invested in development organizations that have demonstrated financial sustainability. This emphasizes the trust of SEDPI GSE on socially responsible investments. Third, only the interest of the corpus or the principal of the endowment fund will be used for capacity building activities of the foundation.
The foundation will also be the corporate social responsibility arm of SEDPI GSE and will institutionalize its outreach activities and advocacy programs. Social innovations and experiments that are not aligned in the core strategies and activities of other SEDPI GSE members will also be done in the foundation.
SEDPI Foundation hopes to be accredited with the Philippine Council for NGO Certification to enable it to have donations deductible when individuals or corporations pay for their income taxes.